Dr Fernando Hernandez Villatoro

Country Expert — El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica: Human Rights, Political Situation & Asylum Cases

Expert at The Human Rights Experts, an international expert witness organisation.

We provide expert witness reports for asylum cases worldwide, covering human rights violations, political persecution, and systemic oppression. Our reports are trusted by lawyers, courts, and immigration authorities, in full compliance with procedural standards and tribunal requirements in the UK (CPR Part 35, Upper Tribunal PD, First-tier Tribunal IAC PD), USA (Federal Rules of Evidence), Canada, and the EU.

Occupation

• Country Witness Expert on Central America
• Human Rights Specialist
• Legal Researcher and Academic Consultant
• Independent Journalist and Investigative Reporter on Human Rights

Expertise

I provide expert analysis on all five Refugee Convention grounds — political opinion, religion, ethnicity, membership of a particular social group (including LGBT and gender-based cases), and nationality — with a focus on the following countries:

El Salvador: El Salvador's security landscape has been fundamentally reshaped by the government's state of exception policies, which have suspended constitutional guarantees and enabled the mass incarceration of individuals accused of gang affiliation without due process or judicial oversight. Reports from human rights monitors document systematic torture, sexual abuse in detention, and over 200 deaths in custody since the emergency regime began. The broad application of gang-related charges has resulted in the detention of individuals based solely on their physical appearance, tattoos, poverty, or residence in communities with gang presence, creating a new category of political and social persecution. Indigenous Nahua-Pipil communities face ongoing discrimination and cultural erasure. The total criminalisation of abortion under any circumstance has led to lengthy prison sentences for women accused of terminating pregnancies, including those who suffered miscarriages. LGBT individuals face compounded vulnerability, with transgender women disproportionately targeted during emergency operations and lacking access to legal protections.

Nicaragua: Nicaragua has descended into full authoritarian consolidation, with President Ortega's government dismantling all independent institutions, imprisoning over 200 political opponents, and revoking the citizenship and property rights of exiled critics. The Catholic Church has faced unprecedented persecution, with bishops arrested, expelled from the country, and religious orders dissolved. Independent media outlets have been shut down or forced into exile, and universities have been seized by the state. Political dissent of any kind, including social media expression, is met with criminal prosecution, asset seizure, and imprisonment. LGBT individuals face state-sponsored homophobia and discrimination, with no legal protections. Ethnic minorities on the Caribbean coast, including Miskito and Creole communities, face military operations, land invasions, and forced displacement by settlers supported by state authorities. Gender-based violence persists with total impunity, as the justice system operates entirely under political control.

Costa Rica: Costa Rica is recognised for its democratic stability, but it faces growing human rights challenges, particularly regarding the treatment of Nicaraguan refugees and migrants, who constitute the largest displaced population in the country. Xenophobic sentiment has increased significantly, manifesting in workplace discrimination, denial of services, and hate crimes against Nicaraguan nationals. Indigenous Bribri and Cabecar communities face violent land disputes, with indigenous land recovery efforts met by armed resistance from non-indigenous occupants and insufficient state protection. Gender-based violence remains a persistent concern despite comprehensive legislation. LGBT individuals benefit from marriage equality since 2020, but social acceptance varies significantly between urban and rural areas, with evangelical and conservative communities maintaining strong opposition. Labour exploitation of migrant workers in agriculture and domestic service sectors raises concerns about trafficking and forced labour.

Experience

• Expert Witness (2017—Present): Regularly instructed by legal practitioners in the United Kingdom and the United States to prepare expert reports and provide oral testimony in asylum and immigration proceedings relating to El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, addressing state repression, gang persecution, and political asylum claims.
• Country Condition Reports: Authored detailed country condition reports for courts, tribunals, and legal representatives covering all Refugee Convention grounds across Central America.
• Academic Researcher, Universidad Centroamericana Jose Simeon Canas (UCA), El Salvador: Conducted university-level research on political violence, transitional justice, and human rights in Central America, contributing to scholarly publications and policy recommendations.
• Consultant to Human Rights Organisations: Provided expert analysis on mass incarceration, political repression, and refugee protection to international and regional non-governmental organisations.
• Expert Member of The Human Rights Experts: Active expert within The Human Rights Experts international expert witness organisation, contributing to analytical frameworks for reports on El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

Full professional experience is available in the CV. Please email us to receive the detailed expert CV.

Publications

Available upon request and detailed in the expert CV.

Languages

• Spanish (Native)
• English (Fluent)

Religious Groups Expertise

All religious groups

Contact Email

info@thehuman-rights.com